Annunciator drop



Dec. 26, 1922. 1,439,817. 0. HERRMANN.

ANNUNCIATOR DROP.

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Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES P AT ENT KI CHARLES HERRMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOB' TO, GELRLFS CORY & SON, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANNUNCIATOR DROP.

Application filed October 24, 1919. Serial No. 333;!!!5.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES HERRMANN acitizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Annunciator Drops, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to annunciator drop mechanism, and particularly toan electrically actuated drop positively shifted both into and out ofoperative position.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in annunciators of the typehaying a sight opening or Window, with an indicator plate Which isdropped into view behind the Window to transmit a signal and isretracted from the window after the signal is received. Annunciators ofthis type are ordinarial provided with electrical means for shiftlng theindicator plate downwardly into position in front of the window. It isthe usual practice, however, to return the indicaitor'plate to inactiveposition by mechanical means. This is subject to serious objections, assuch means can be operated only from a point immediately adjacent theannnnciator, preventing the location thereof in out-of-Way places wherethe use of mechanical indicator returning means is impracticail orundesirable. It particularly prevents the operation of the returnmechanism from a distance.

Annunciators of this type also include normally a plurality of drops;and it is highly desirable that these drops and their operatingmechanism be very compact, to confine the annunciator casing to aminimum size, desirable under ordinary conditions, and absolutelynecessary in certain lbcations, such as on shipboard. where space islimited and a bulky annnncia-tor would be impractical. The maximum ofcompactness in a lateral direction is obtained when the entire operatingmechanism is entirely lo rated directly behind the indicator plate. assuch a construction permits the plates to he arranged with practicallyno space between them. it is. furthermore. necessary that the mechanismbe simple. positive and strong in action. as it is often vital to havethe aununciator operate infallibly for transmitting important signals.

'ith this and other objects in view, I have devised an amnunciator dropand mechanism for actuating the same which meets all the reqmmzemenisabove outlined, and is simple, composed of a minimum number of parts,and very easily and readi l manufactured. I have pnowidedrelectricwmeans for posib vely shifting the indicator plate into operativeposltion at the will of the operator, and for similarly retracting-theplate positively when desired;

1 have also produced a construction especially adapted for use onshipboard and in other places Where the annunciator is subj ected tov ibration and tovariations o f angle with the horizontal, which wouldcause the indicator plateso f the-ordinary annunci'ator to drop intooperative position without proper actuation thereof, thus rendering theanmmciator useless for signalpurposes.

I have likewise providedpaa ti cular means for pmventing theacima'tion'of the anmmciatop drop by shocks or blows,- either inconnecticn with ordinary usage in exposed places or caused le the'firing' of guns-or the impact of pno iecti es.

l nether-objects andad vantagesof my construction wil! be apparent fromthe follcvv ing description, talker: in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an e-ndv-ie'w of my invention in operatiyeposition, showing a portion ofan annunciatior casing;

Fig. is a. iragzmentary front view of an annunciator casing, showing,two units in operative and inoperative position respecti vely.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view Sl'lQ-Wfllg the indicator platein inoperative position, and

4. is a wiring diagram.

My invention includes an indicator plate or dial 10 adapted to belocated either immediately behind a sight opening or Window 11, as shownin Fig. 1, or to be retracted out of view therefrom in the positionshown in Fig. 3. Plate 10 is preferably adapted to hold a removable card12 carrying a suitable signal: but this construction is purely optional,any desired type 01 indicating element being comprehended.

T provide mechanical means for engaging plate 10 to shift it between theposition shown in l igs. l and Various. forms of mechanism for thispurpose may be em ployed. In the form disclosed. I mount plate 10 onrock shaft 13, as by providing cars 14 on the plate engaging said shaft.Shaft 13jmaybIi16lfilt8d mal y; desiredytay, as in bearings carried bylugs '15, mounted on a fixed art of the mechanism. The pin ion 16isrigidly mounted on shaft 13 as by set screw 17' and engages areciprocating rack 18.

I have provided electrical means for reciprocating rack 18. Any desiredform of magnetic element may be used for this purpose, preferablyincluding an armature and magnetmeans actuated at will to shift thearmature between two positions, the armaturebeingoperatively connectedwith the mechanical means fonshifting indicator plate 10. In thepreferred form, I have disclosed a solenpidmounted on a hollow core 19,preferably constructed of brass. Within core 19 an armature 20 isslidablymounted, rack 18 being connected to the. armature 20, as by'iorning the rack as a continuation of the armature, The solenoid may be inthe form of a continuouscoil, but this construction has been found. tobe irregular in operation, asit depends for, efficiency upon thereversal of the current 'throu h the solenoid, and the maintenanceoffixe 'polarity in the armature. The latter. is impractical as thesolenoid when energised tends tochange the nolarity of .the armature andrenders. the e ect of the solenoid on the armature uncertain.Consequently, I preferto provide a pairof adjacent solenoidwind'ingsfll, each of which is separately connected to an actuatingswitch, such as a, usb huttom-rendering the action ofeach so enoid onthe armature 20 definite and certain, regardlessof the polarizationthereof by the solenoid currents, The solenoid may be mounted in anydesired way upon a base 22, as by passing core 19 through the base andthreading a nut 23 on the end of the core; but this arrangement ispurely illustrative,

I have provided means for preventing the shifting of indicator plate 10from either inactiveor active position without energizing a solenoidwinding 21. Various means for this purpose may be provided, includingfrictional catch elements adapted to hold the indicator plate in eachposition. In the preferred form, I have disclosed means ,forfrictionally engaging the rack 18, the engagement bein sufiicient toprevent dislocation of the in icator plate through accidental causes,but insufficient to prevent the normal operation of the shiftingmechanism. In the referred form of frictional engagement with the rack,spring member 24: may be used, bearing against the rack and mounted onarm 25, which is carried by the solenoid, arm 25 also serving to form astop for indicator plate 10 when the latter shifted to active position.For convenience, lugs 15 may be formed integral with the base of arm:25, or may be carried by a shield cylinder 26 mountedabout the solenoidwindings to protect and preserve them. lifdesired, auxiliary manuallyoperated means may be provided for returning the annunciator drop toinactive position without the energizing of a solenoid 20, one form ofdevice includ ing a vertical slide 27 mounted to reciprocate in a slot28 in the casing, provided with an inwardly extending lip 29 adapted toengage the lower edge of indicator plate 10, and an outwardly extendingfinger piece 30. Slide 27 is normally held in inactive position, eitherby gravity or by spring means, one end of a suitable spring 31 beingindicated in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that considerable variation in the angle of mountingof my annunciator drop element is possible without affecting theoperation thereof, as spring 24 is normally suiliciently strong toovercome any tendency of gravity or ordinary vibration to move indicatorplate 10 when the solenoid windings are not energized.

The unit is also entirely self-contained; and Where a large number areused, any individual unit may readily be remove-d and replaced withoutdisturbing the others or interferin with the general wiring. It will benoted t at by properly proportioning the parts, an endwise shock on theunit when in inactive position, shown in Fig. 3 may be rendered entirelyineffective to shiit the in dicator plate into operative position, asthe tendencyyof the plate to move forward will be balanced by a similaropposing tendency 0n the part of the armature and rack. This effect willobtain regardless of the violence of the shock, though the latter, ifsufliciently strong, would result in the shifting of indicator plate 10into operative position with any of the types of reciprocatingannunciator heretofore known.

While I have described the preferred form of my invention and certainmodifications therein, my invention includes many other variations andchanges in the construction shown, falling within the scope of myinvention as disclosed in this specification.

I claim:

1. In an annunciator drop, a base, a shield cylinder, a hollow corepassin through the cylinder and adapted to hold the cylinder in relationto the base, a solenoid winding on each end of the core, an armaturewithin the core, said armature extending beyond the core, a rack on theextended end of the armature, a bracket on said cylinder, a shaftmount-ed on said bracket, a pinion on the shaft and meshing with therack on the armature, and an oscillating indicator member mounted onsaid shaft.

2. In an annunciator drop, a solenoid winding, a hollow core for saidwinding, an armature movably mounted in said core, an oscillatingindicator member operatively associated With said armature, a stopmember for limiting the oscillations of the indicator member, a springmember mounted upon the stop member and bearing against the armature tohold the armature against movement when the Winding is not onergized.

3. In an annunciator drop, an indicator member mounted to rotate about afixed axis, a pinion connected to the indicator member, a reciprocatingrack engaging said pinion, a solenoid, an armature located in saidsolenoid and connected to the rack, the construction being such that thesuitable energizing of the solenoid will shift the armature in eitherdirection at will, rotating the indicator member in the desireddirection about its axis, a stop member for limiting the rotation of:the indicator member and a friction means upon the stop member forretaining the armature in different positions.

1. In a compact and su astantial1 unitary annunciator drop mechanism,suitable for indicator boards and similar purposes, a solenoid includinga plurality of separate windings, a common hollow core for saidwindings, an ari'nature slidably mounted in said core, a bracket, ashaft mounted therein and located transversely in front of and adjacentto one end of the solenoid at one side oi the armature axis, a pinionmounted on said shaft, a rack mounted on the armature and engaging saidpinion, and an indicator member mounted on said shaft, and arranged toswing into active position in front of the solenoid.

5. In an annunciator drop, an electromagnet, a bracket mounted on saidmagnet, a shaft journaled in the bracket, an indicator member mounted onthe shaft, stop means carried by the magnet for limiting the oscillationof the indicator member, an armature carried by said electromagnet,means on the sto means for retaining the armature in difl'erentpositions, and mechanical means connecting said armature and indicatormember.

Si ned at New York city in the county of i Y. and State of N Y. this22nd day of October A. D. 1919.

CHARLES HERRMANN.

